


Rhythms

by qwanderer



Series: Pardicer [5]
Category: Leverage
Genre: Episode: s05e03 The First Contact Job, Gen, Multi, also references The Studio Job, takes place during
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2016-12-29
Packaged: 2018-09-13 03:50:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9105442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qwanderer/pseuds/qwanderer
Summary: With all the classic sci fi Eliot had been mainlining, everything he'd sat through recently with Parker and Hardison, he thought he ought to have a better handle on this space nerd stuff.





	

**Author's Note:**

> so I know I plunked this right in the middle of an episode plot for the second time in a row, but I made an effort to keep it a little more self-contained this time, so it shouldn't make quite as much difference whether you've seen the episode recently. It still ties in in a lot of ways, though.

With all the classic sci fi Eliot had been mainlining, everything he'd sat through recently with Parker and Hardison, he thought he ought to have a better handle on this space nerd stuff. 

They'd seen E. T. a couple of nights ago and Parker was currently obsessed with it. He could see why an alien learning about humans and interacting with them would appeal to her. That wasn't what Eliot had gotten out of it, though, and if he was being honest, the whole movie creeped him out a little. 

He wished he could love it as much as they did. 

"Hey, Sophie, you got a minute?" Eliot asked, catching her as she left the brewpub. 

"For you, of course," Sophie answered. "What do you need?" 

"I need help with this Willie Riker character," he told her. "Pretty sure I ain't doin' this right. The ideas I have... it's not good enough." 

"Hmm," she said, eyes widening slightly. He supposed it wasn't something he asked her often. "Well, what are you trying to do with this character? What's different about this time?" 

He thought that through before he answered. They walked down the street side by side while he pondered. "All my grifts, they're basically just me, right?" he started. "Maybe bluffin' another skill set or three, but this guy... if this is gonna work, the mark has to believe I live an' breathe this alien business. That I obsess over it, that it's not just the skills, I've got the passion too." 

"You did that part all right in Memphis," Sophie reminded him. "Eliot, you can do this." 

"Yeah, but... Memphis... that's a song, I can hear it, I can get into it. There's not just a passion in singin', there's one built into every song. If it's good. And. I had a good teacher, on that one. Someone's lead to follow. This is... it's more complicated. It's geek stuff. I know how smart Hardison is, okay? I know how hard he works to know this stuff, to do this stuff. An' I can't... I can't replicate that, okay? I'm missin' all the little things... the things he jabbers on about, the way everythin' pulls together around him...." 

Sophie had stopped walking, and when he realized, he turned back to look at her. She was peering at him strangely. 

"Oh. Eliot, how long have you been in love with Hardison?" she asked. "Does Parker know?" 

Eliot closed his eyes, let out a breath. Couldn't find the words to answer. 

"Is that why she's been so aggressive with her dates with Alec?" Sophie asked. "She thinks she has to compete with you?" 

"No! Parker'd never... I'm not... I'm not competition, I swear to you." 

"Does she know that?" 

Eliot glared at Sophie, felt the fire of his temper rise as he spoke. "She's smarter'n you give her credit for. She knows what she's about. Parker might miss people stuff sometimes, but she's gotten real good at knowing what she knows and what she doesn't and where she can push and when to back off. Believe me, she knows." 

Sophie tutted, looking at him with knowing eyes. "Parker, too?" 

"Yeah," he admitted. "Yeah, her too." 

"Oh, Eliot." She sounded as if her heart were breaking for him. 

Eliot shook his head. "It's not as tragic as you're makin' it sound." 

She narrowed her eyes. "It's not like you to pretend you're not getting hurt. Not with us. Not with the team." 

"It's not pretend. Sophie... I asked them not to tell you or Nate, but I've been datin' them almost as long as they've been datin' each other. Longer, dependin' on how you count." 

Her eyes widened. Eliot feared the worst. 

"So you're a triad?" she asked. "Well, that's...." She went quiet for a moment. "I think I should have seen that coming, really." 

"Parker thought you'd think it was too weird," Eliot admitted. 

"Oh, too weird for _me_ ," Sophie offered. "Not for you three. I've seen all sorts of things work. No, I think it's wonderful." She set a hand on his shoulder. "Are you happy?" 

"Yeah," he said. "Yeah, I am." 

"Good," she said. Then she looked thoughtful. "So Nate's strategy of sending those two on ahead so they have space to deal with their issues... well-intentioned, but not entirely useful?" 

"I dunno. Maybe. They do have their own stuff." 

"So what is Parker up to with Hardison? Has she let you in on it?" 

"Yeah. She asked me about it, promised me she wouldn't push too hard." He frowned, trying to figure out the best way to explain it to her. "She sees you an' Nate work, even though Nate can be a little meaner'n you, an' he sometimes gets a little lost in it, because you know how to say no to him. She just... she wants to make sure Hardison knows how to say no to her. That when it comes down to it, he'll put his foot down." 

"Huh," Sophie said. "That just might work on him. And what about you and Hardison?" 

Eliot gave her a sour look. "I'd never ask 'im to do anythin' he wasn't comfortable with." 

Gently, Sophie said, "It's not Hardison I'm worried about, Eliot." 

Eliot narrowed his eyes at her. 

"Oh, don't even try to pretend. Now that I've seen it, it's obvious you think he's hung the moon. Just... be careful. Remember that you can say no." 

"All right, enough about my love life. Can we get back to the job?" 

Sophie frowned a little, but then she started walking again, and talking animatedly, with many hand gestures. "No, no, I think, in this case, your love life is the only way to approach the job. You want this character, this Willy, to be a love letter to Alec Hardison. So what I want you to do is think about all those little things you love about him. The things he says, the tone of voice he uses when he says them. The things he's proud of, the way he reacts. When you don't know how to react, think, what adorable thing would Hardison do right now? How would he feel about this? And I think you'll do just marvelously." 

Eliot scowled, but he didn't dispute that it was applicable. 

"Now, the cadence of his voice is quicker than yours, which goes with the kind of excitement and obsession you'll be going for here. The trick will be to keep that up, keep it consistent, while keeping that passion as well, and remembering everything you'll need to know for the con." She paused, tilting her head. "There's a passion built into every song," she echoed him from earlier. "I think I know how to help you. I'll get Hardison to write you a song." 

"Really, you just gonna ask him to do that? Say it's for the con?" 

"Of course not! But it has been far too long since I've gotten a chance to practice the subtleties of neurolinguistic programming on someone I know as well as him." 

"Don't... don't mess with 'im too much. You know he hates that." 

Sophie just smiled, soft and a little rueful. 

Eliot sighed. "Yeah, yeah. I trust you not to go too far." 

Her smile widened. "Thank you for that," she said. Then she looped her arm through his. "Now, I'd love to have you join me for shopping, but I think you just might have some more important work to do right now." 

"Maybe so," he replied. "I do gotta weed my garden." The paranoiac side of his new role was one he knew full well how to get in touch with. 

"Well, have fun," she said, patting his arm as she let him go. "And break a leg!" 

He just shook his head. This wasn't theater. He might've preferred the luck. But that was Sophie. 

And Sophie was family. 

**Author's Note:**

> ETA: I forgot when I first posted, but I wanted to give credit to hannahrhen and their fic [Uncle](http://archiveofourown.org/works/941730) for giving me the idea of what Parker was up to in this episode. I noticed on this go-round that when Hardison said, "Whatever it is, no," Parker didn't stop smiling, but she did stop trying to push.


End file.
